Method and apparatus for treating tubular knitted fabric



Sept. 21, 1965 s. COHN ETAL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC Filed Jan. 23. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTO R S AMUEL COHN 08 J EPH COHN EUGENE COHN FRANK CATALLO BY M0 15 I 91%;.)

ATTORNEYS Sept. 21, 1965 s. COHN ETAL 3,207,616

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC Filed Jan. 23, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS SAMUEL COHN O N FRANK CATALLO ATTORNEYS Sept. 21, 1965 s. COHN ETAL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TUBULARVKNI'ITED FABRIC Filed Jan. 23, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Will",

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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC Filed Jan. 23, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 8

FIG. 9

IN VEN TORS SAMUEL COHN N OHN BY E EK CA TALLO 7M 0'' m ATTORNE S United States Patent METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC Samuel Cohn and Joseph Cohn, New York, Eugene Cohn,

Great Neck, and Frank Catallo, Elmout, N .Y., assignors to Samcoe Holding-Corporation, Woodside, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 84,075

12 Claims. (Cl. 117-7) The present invention relates to new and improved method and means for treating fabrics, particularly, though not necessarily, tubular knitted fabrics, and more specifically to improvements in the treatment of fabrics, wherein, as a significant step in the treatment, the fabric is impregnated with a liquid solution.

In the processing of various fabrics, and particularly tubular knitted fabrics, it frequently is desirable to impregnate the fabric with a solution such as, for example, a resin solution calculated to impart dimensional stability and other desirable characteristics to the fabric. Prior to such an impregnating treatment, the fabric usually is in a wet condition and, in accordance with known practice, any excess moisture in the fabric is sought to be extracted or otherwise removed, to achieve a uniform, desired moisture content, after which the fabric is immersed in the desired treating solution. When the fabric leaves the solution, it is acted upon by one or more rollers in an effect to insure thorough penetration of the treating liquid and to remove excessive amounts of the solution from the fabric, thereby to achieve a desired, uniform impregnation by the solution. The treated fabric may then be conveyed through a dryer and folded or otherwise prepared for further handling.

The present invention relates to specific improvements having to do with the impregnating treatment of fabrics, particularly in respect of the controlled handling of the fabric immediately before and after the impregnating treatment as well as during the impregnating operation itself. In the treatment of tubular knitted fabrics, for example, in accordance with the invention, the wet fabric is flattened and distended laterally, to predetermined, uniform dimensions, prior to treatment, and the treatment is carried out in a manner to maintain positive control at all times over the fabric dimensions and to prevent undesired tensions in the material. The uniformly distended fabric is transferred directly onto a roller and is passed between a pair of rollers forming an extracting nip, the pressure at the nip being adjusted to sequeeze the fabric and extract therefrom substantially all of the excess moisture and/ or air. The fabric, being maintained in edgeto-edge control contact with a roller surface from the moment it leaves the distending means, is kept under positive dimension control throughout the treatment.

The exit side of the extracting nip, and the rollers forming the nip, constitute part of a container for treating nip, it enters directly into the body of treating solution. The material then passes through and absorbs the solution, the absorptive abilities of the fabric being enhanced by reason of the fact that the material contacts the treating solution simultaneously with the release of extracting nip pressure.

During its passage through the treating solution and while the fabric is kept in positive control contact with a treating roller, the fabric is worked by two or more roller nips to stabilize the fabric, so there is no tendency for the treated fabric to change its pre-set, uniform width. Moreover, the control contact is maintained in such a way as to provide positive control over lengthwise dimensions of the fabric while the fabric is being stabilized.

Advantageously, one of the rollers (i.e., the central 3,207,616 Patented Sept. 21, 1965 roller), which cooperates to form the extracting nip, also constitutes the bottom wall of the reservoir for the treating liquid and further cooperates with a third roller to form a so-called padding nip. The third roller also forms, together with the two other rollers, a containing area for the treating solution, so that the fabric passing through the padding nip enters the nip directly from the treating solution.

Advantageously, the disposition of the rollers is such that the material passes through the extracting nip in a generally upward direction and through the padding nip in a generally downward direction. The material is subjected to predetermined pressures at the nips, such that the padding nip pressure is less by a predetermined amount than that applied at the extracting nip, so that the fabric emerging from the padding nip contains a predetermined amount of the treating solution, uniformly dispersed throughout the fibers of the material.

After leaving the padding nip the material is advantageously conveyed to and through a dryer and then is folded, for example, although it may be desirable to fold the material in a wet condition, eliminating the intermediate drying step.

One of the significant features of the invention resides in the method and apparatus for performing the extracting and padding operations in a highly efiicient and substantially improved manner. Thus, greatly improved performance has been realized by providing three rollers, arranged in a triangular configuration with a central roller at the bottom and the two other rollers in contact with the central roller to form therewith separate extracting and padding nips. The upper rollers form, together with the common central roller, a reservoir for treating solution, the solution being contained within the reservoir by the respective nips and by sealing plates engaging the three rollers at their opposite ends. The specific configuration of the rollers is greatly advantageous in that no separate tank or container is required to retain the treating solution and in that the separate extracting and padding nips are oriented in an advantageous manner to enhance and render more efiicient the threatment given to the material.

In accordance with one of the important aspects of the invention, the fabric, after being laterally distended to a uniform, predetermined width, is handle throughout the extracting, impregnating and padding operations in such manner as to maintain positive control over the fabric dimensions and to assure uniformity of fabric width throughout. In this respect, the fabric is first set to predetermined, uniform width, whereupon it is transferred directly into edge-to-edge control contact with the treating rollers. Throughout the further treating operations, positive control contact with the fabric is maintained, so that the normal tendency of the fabric, to narrow in width, is resisted effectively. And during the treatment the fabric is worked by the nips and thereby stabilized dimensionally, While absorbing the treating liquid.

One of the more specific, but nevertheless significant features of the invention resides in the provision of a plurality of control rollers which engage the fabric during its passage through the treating bath. The control rollers serve not only to maintain the fabric in positive control contact with a treating roller, but also to improve the treating operation by assuring thorough, uniform penetration of the treating solution.

Another specific, but important aspect of the invention resides in the provision of novel and improved arrangements for the treatment of a plurality of strings or webs of material. The handling of multiple strings for simultaneous treatment has been practiced heretofore, of course, and, generally, it is the practice, in connection with tubular materials, to place spreaders side by side, but with one spreader on a plane different from but parallel to the other. In accordance with the present invention, the spreaders are placed on different but intersecting planes, with each spreader being arranged to discharge its uniformly distended fabric directly into control contact with a dimensionally stable surface, so that the several strings may be processed with positive dimensional control over the fabric at all times.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description and to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified, schematic representation of a typical fabric processing line for treating fabric in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an improved fabric treating apparatus incorporating the invvention;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional View taken generally along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a modified form of the apparatus of FIGS. 14;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken generally on line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken generally on line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a schematic, elevational view of an improved treating apparatus according to the invention for the simultaneous treatment of multiple strings of material; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic, plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 8.

Referring now to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-4 thereof, the reference numeral 10 represents a box or container which holds a supply of fabric 11. Frequently, at this stage, the fabric is in rope form and is wet, having come from a washing or dyeing operation, for example. The wet fabric is first passed through a poteye 12, which is simply a circular guide, and is drawn on to a combination spreader propeller 13, which arranges the fabric in the form of a flattened tube and distends the fabric laterally to a predetermined, uniform width. The spreader advantageously may be of the type illustrated and described in the S. Cohn et al. United States Patent No. 2,228,001, or the S. Cohn United States Patent No. 2,190,860. Other forms of sprcaders may, of course, be utilized, the important consideration being that the fabric is, at this stage, laterally distended and uniformly conditioned in respect of the fabric width, yarn tension, etc.

In accordance with the invention, the fabric passing over the spreader 13 is directed immediately to a combined extracting and padding station 14, consisting of three treating rollers 15-17, incl., arranged in triangular configuration, substantially in the form of an inverted pyramid. Each of two upper rollers 15, 17 is in contact with a common lower roller 16, the rollers 15, 17 being separated, however, to provide a space therebetween. Conjointly, the rollers 15, 16 and 17 define a trough or reservoir 18 which is closed at its ends by suitable sealing plates, contacting the ends of the rollers, and contains a treating solution, such as a resin impregnating solution.

The rollers 15, 16 of the extracting-padding station form a first nip, through which the fabric 11 passes advantageously in a generally upward direction. The nip applies substantial localized and predetermined pressure to the fabric and thereby extracts a substantial amount of the residual water therein, preconditioning the fabric to impart thereto a desired, uniform moisture content. The extracted water drains off by gravity and is collected for removal.

The fabric emerging from the nip enters directly into the treating solution in the reservoir 18, and passes through and absorbs the solution before passing in a generally downward direction through a padding nip formed by the rollers 16, 17. Throughout its passage through the treating solution and, in fact throughout its entire traverse from the spreader 13 to the exit side of the treating station, the fabric is maintained in positive, edge-to-edge control contact with the dimensionally stable surface of a roller, so that its pre-set, uniform dimensions are at all times maintained.

Fabric passing through the padding nip is subjected to a localized nip pressure, less by a predetermined .amount than the pressure at the extracting nip, which limits the amount of treating liquid carried away by the fabric and insures thorough, uniform penetration of the fibers by the desired, predetermined quantity of liquid retained. The relationship between the extracting and padding nip pressures is such that, when processing fabric received in wet condition, more liquid is removed from the fabric at the extracting nip than at the padding nip.

After the fabric has emerged from the padding nip, it may be conveyed to a dryer 19 which, by way of example, may be of the type described and claimed in the copending United States patent applications of Samuel Cohn et al., Ser. No. 673,474, filed July 22, 1957, now United States Patent No. 3,065,551, granted November 27, 1962 or Ser. No. 773,864, filed November 14, 1958, now United States Patent No. 3,102,006, granted August 27, 1963. In the dryer 19, excess moisture is removed from the fabric, and, if the impregnating solutionis in the nature of a resin, a partial curing of the resin may be effected by the dryer.

Usually, after the fabric passes through the dryer 19,

it is directed onto a combination conveyor and folding device or apparatus, which may be of the type described and claimed in the S. Cohn et al. United States Patent No. 2,700,543. Such a folding apparatus, which is indicated generally by the numeral 20, may comprise a conveyor means 21, which receives the fabric web 11 and conveys it in a relaxed condition to a folding head 22. The folding head 22 includes a suitable guide 23, which is oscillated back and forth over a table or platform 24, causing the fabric to be laid in successive layers or folds upon the platform.

In accordance with the new method, the spread and uniformly conditioned material passing off the exit end of the spreader 13 is conveyed to the extracting-padding station 14 and directed in a generally upward course through the extracting nip formed by the rollers 15, 16. These rollers, which are covered with rubber of predetermined density, are adjustably positioned to apply a predetermined nip pressure to the fabric, which pressure may be on the order of 350 pounds per linear inch. This nip pressure is suificient to extract the necessary amounts of excess water from the fabric and, by virtue of the generally upward course which the fabric follows in passing through the nip, drainage and removal of the extracted water is facilitated greatly.

Fabric emerging on the exit side of the extracting nip is exposed immediately to the impregnating solution, and this enhances the impregnating operation, since. the fabric released by the extracting vnip acts somewhat like a squeezed and released sponge in tending to absorb the impregnating solution:

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the fabric is maintained in positive control contact with the bottom treating roller 16 without, however, placing the fabric under any substantial tension, such that effective control contact is established and maintained between the fabric and the roller. This prevents the fabric from changing dimension, widthwise, and thereby assures important width control.

The rollers 17, 16, forming the the padding nip, are provided with rubber surface layers and are adjustably related to provide a desired nip pressure, which may be on the order of 200 pounds per linear inch and which, in

almost all cases, will be less by a predetermined amount than the extracting nip pressure. The impregnated fabric passes in a generally downward course through the padding nip, which controls and limits the amount of impregnating solution which may be carried out by the fabric and also presses the solution into the fabric to assure thorough penetration and uniform treatment.

Referring now in more detail to FIGS. 2-4, the extracting-padding station 14 comprises a main frame mounting spaced bearings 26 in which is journalled the bottom or center treating roller 16. Advantageously, the frame 25 also includes a horizontal extension 27 mounting drive rollers 28 for the spreader 13, the arrangement being such that the forward end 29 of the spreader may be closely coupled with the rollers 15, 16.

In the illustrated form of the invention, the roller 15 is journalled in bearings 30 mounted at the upper end of a beam 31 pivoted at 32 on the main frame 25. The lower end of the beam 31 has connected thereto the operating rod 33 of an air actuator 34 mounted on the frame. Accordingly, upon appropriate energization of the actuator 34, the beam 31 may be rocked about its axis 32 to vary the nip pressure between the rollers 15, 16. The beam 31 also may be rocked in -a clockwise direction, to completely open the nip for threading and/or cleaning. Likewise, the roller 17 is journalled in bearings 35 mounted at the upper end of a beam assembly 36 pivoted at 37 and operated by an air actuator 38. Advantageously, the fluid pressure supplied to each of the actuators 34, 38 is adjustable independently by suitable pressure regulating devices (not shown), so that the extracting and padding nip pressures may be adjusted separately, as desired.

As shown best in FIG. 4, each of the treating rollers 15-17 is provided with a surface layer or cover 39-41 formed of resilient material, advantageously rubber. In order to achieve the most desired nip characteristics, the resilient surfaces layers 39-41 advantageously are of different densities. Thus, the density of the covering 40, of the bottom roller 16, may desirably be 100 durometer, while the coverings 39, 41 may have densities of 90 and 80 durometer, respectively. This provides a somewhat harder extracting nip than padding nip, such that a first predetermined liquid content remains in the fabric after extraction and a second predetermined liquid content remains in the fabric after padding.

As is apparent in FIG. 4, the inverted triangular orientation of the rollers 15-1'7 defines a trough, of which the roller 16 forms the bottom and the rollers 15, 17 form the opposite sides, the extracting and padding nips forming, together wtih the fabric passing between them, seals between the various walls. The trough thus formed is sealed at its ends to form a reservoir 18, by means of sealing plates 42, which are supported by rods 43 and urged by springs 44 into pressure contact with the ends of the rollers 15-17. The sealing plates 42 are cut away around the shaft necks, but contact sufiicient end areas of the rollers to form effective liquid seals, some leakage usually being desired, however, to afford lubrication between the rollers and sealing plates. The rods 43, supporting the sealing plates 42, may be mounted slidably in sleeve bearings 45 fixed in any appropriate manner to the main frame 25.

Referring again to FIG. 4, the fabric web 11, entering the extracting nip in a generally upward course, will, if the incoming fabric is wet, release substantial amounts of water, which flows freely downward from the 111p and is collected in a suitable pan (not shown) and drained away. The roller 15, rotating in a clockwise direction, has a surface portion exposed to the treating solution, and some of this solution may tend to adhere to the roller surface and be carried out of the reservoir 18. Accordingly, a doctor 46 is suitably mounted to engage the upper portion of the roller 15 to clear its surface of any adhering solution. Advantageously, the doctor 46 comprises a roller 66 normally contacting the surface of the roller 15 and journalled for rotation therewith. In normal operation, the roller 66 prevents the passage of solution around the treating roller 15. Alternatively, the roller 66 may be raised, by means such as shown at 59, 60, so that solution is permitted to adhere to the roller. The surface of the bottom roller 16 likewise may tend to pick up some of the treating solution, as the surface rotates out of contact with the impregnated web emerging from the padding nip. To prevent such solution from being carried around with the roller surface and into contact with the fabric at the extracting nip, to be washed away with the extracted water, a second doctor 47 is mounted to engage the lower surface of the bottom roller 16.

Make-u solution and collected leakage is directed to a pan 49 (FIG. 3), from which the solution is directed, by a pump 52 and discharge line 53, to a distribution pan or header 54 located above and discharging into the reservoir 18. A suitable float and switch 51 may be utilized, if desired, to open a supply line for make-up solution in accordance with the level of solution in the pan 49.

In the treating of fabrics which are received in a substantially dry state, the fabric may be steamed, as by steamers 48, during passage over the spreader 13, to condition the fibers and enable the fabric to be set to the desired, predetermined width. In addition, it is advantageous to impress into the fabric a certain amount of liquid, prior to entry of the fabric into the extracting nip, since such treatment materially facilitates the subsequent treatment operations. In the system of the invention, this is accomplished by raising the doctor roll or blade at the top of the first treating roller 15. This renders the doctor ineffective to perform its usual function of stripping solution from the surface of the roller 15, and the solution picked up on the surface of the rotating roller is carried around and into contact with the incoming fabric. Immediately thereafter, the surfacewetted fabric passes into the extracting nip, and the solution is pressed into the fabric to be absorbed by the fibers and to displace some of the air therefrom.

Any suitable means, such as a threaded shaft 59 and hand knob 60, provided at each end of the doctor 46, may be used to raise and lower the doctor onto the roller 15.

Advantageously, a single, variable speed drive unit 55 is mounted in the frame 25 and drives the bottom roller 16 through a chain 56 and sprockets 57, 58. The upper rollers 15, 17, being in direct frictional contact with the bottom roller 16, advantageously are not independently driven, so that absolute synchronization of surface speeds is assured. The drive unit 55 also is advantageously used to power the drive rollers 28 for the spreader 13, so that the rate at which fabric is fed over the spreader may be synchronized carefully with the speed of the rollers 15-17.

With the extracting and padding apparatus shown in FIGS. 2-4, precise control of the extracting and padding steps is assured. Thus, the extracting nip pressure may be accurately and independently adjusted to accommodate the conditions of the incoming fabric and achieve the most eificient extraction. Likewise, the padding nip pressure is independently adjustable in a precise manner, insuring that the fabric emerging from the padding nip carries a predetermined amount of the treating solution dispersed with uniformity throughout all portions of the fabric.

By driving both of the upper rollers 15, 17 from the bottom roller 16, by direct frictional contact, undesirable tensions cannot be introduced into the fabric, to cause uncontrolled variations in fabric dimensions or to affect the uniformity of solution penetration.

Referring now. more particularly to the apparatus of FIGS. 5-7, there is shown an apparatus substantially as illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 (many parts being omitted to avoid needless repetition), except that certain additional features have been incorporated which afford improved performance under many circumstances. In the description of the modified apparatus of FIGS. -7, the reference numerals will be the same as used in connection with FIGS. 14 where identified components are the same or substantially so.

In, FIG. 5, the'configuration of the treating rollers 15-17 is the same as in FIGS. 1-4, forming a reservoir 18 for treating solution. Fabric passing over a spreader 13, where it is distended laterally and spread to a predetermined, uniform width, is carried directly from the end of the spreader into contact with the first treating roller. Thus, the fabric is brought immediately into edge-toedge control contact with the roller 15 so that the fabric is prevented from changing dimension.

For positive dimensional control and further stabilization of the fabric dimensions during passage of the fabric through the treating solution there are provided, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, a plurality of control rollers 61, which are positioned above the bottom treating roller 15 and are spaced over the exposed upper portion of its surface. The control rollers may number five in a typical commercial machine, being about 1% inches in diameter when used with treating rollers of about nine inches diameter.

Advantageously, the control rollers extend from one side of the treating rollers to the other, as indicated in FIG. 6. At each end, the rollers 61 there are journal portions 62 of reduced diameter, and these are received in openings 63 in spaced journal plates 64. The openings 63 are somewhat larger than the journal portion 62, but smaller than the control rollers themselves, so that the rollers have substantial freedom of movement, while being retained positively in journalled relation in the plates 64. 7 As shown in FIG. 5, the fabric entering the reservoir 18 passes under the series of control rollers 61, which advantageously are formed of a heavy material, such as steel, and the rollers bring their substantial weight to bear on the fabric as it passes over the surface of roller 16. There is thus no opportunity for any portion of the fabric to lift off the surface of the treating roller, so that widthwi-se control would be lost.

The form of the invention shown in FIGS. 5-7 is of particular advantage in the treatment of dry tubular material which, because of entrapped air, has a strong tendency to balloon while passing through thesolution. In addition, the successive squeezing actions imparted to the fabric by the control rollers are highly effective in removing the last vestiges of air entrapped by the fibers, so that thorough displacement by treating solution, and therefore thorough and uniform impregnation, is achieved.

Even in the treatment of fabric received in a wet condition the control rollers perform an important and advantageous function in working the material to stabilize it and thereby to assure dimensional control. Further, by reason of the successive squeezing and releasing actions on the material, highly uniform penetration of the treating solution is effected.

To facilitate threading material through the machine, as well as cleaning and like operations, the control rollers 61 may be bodily removed by lifting the journal plates 64 vertically between pairs of guide cleats 65 mounted on the sealing plates of the machine.

In a further embodiment of the invention, shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, novel arrangements are provided for the treatment of multiple strings of material. To this end, the extracting-padding station, comprising the three rollers 16-18 arranged in inverted triangular configuration, are supplied with two (or more) strings of material by separate spreading means 70-71.

In order to be able to utilize the full effective width of the treating, apparatus, while supplying two or more webs of material, it has been proposed, heretofore, to mount separate spreaders generally side by side but on spaced, parallel planes, so that the webs of material could be closelyspaced without having interference between the spreaders, which are considerably Wider in certain areas than the widths of the discharged webs. Improved arrangements for this purpose are described and claimed in the S. Cohn et al. US. Patents Nos. 2,826,167 and 2,637,991.

In accordance with the present invention, multiple string or webs of material are supplied by a plurality of spreaders mounted on different but intersecting planes, such that the wide portions of the spreader mechanisms (e.g., the driving rolls) are free of interference while, at

the same time, each of the spreaders discharges its web directly into control contact with a roller of the treating station, substantially in tangential relation. The arrangement is such that'each individual web of material may be given the advantageous treatment heretofore described, wherein the material, after being spread to predetermined width, is maintained throughout the further treatment in direct, edge-to-edge control contact with the dimensionally stable surfaces of the treating rollers.

Thus, in FIGS. 8 and 9, a first web supply is provided by the spreader 70, which may be similar in its construction and mounting to the spreader 13 of FIG. 1. That is, the spreader 70 may be mounted horizontally, with its discharge end 72 substantially in contact With the treating roller 15, substantially in tangential relation thereto. A second web supply is provided by the second spreader 71, which is mounted at an angle to the spreader 70. The second spreader 71, however, has its discharge end substantially in contact with the treating roller 15, substantially. in tangential relation, so that the uniformly spread material is discharged directly into control contact with the treating roller 15. The arrangement is such that mechanical interference between the driving rolls 73, 74 and other parts of the spreaders is avoided while enabling the full effective widths. of the treating rollers to be utilized when desirable, all while realizing in respect of each web all the benefits of the advantageous treatment before described.

Advantageously, the discharge ends of the respective spreaders lie substantially at the line of intersection between the two planes in which the spreaders are mounted. Accordingly, both webs are brought into control contact with the treating roller along substantially the same line.

As will be understood, the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 may be further modified to incorporate any practicable number of web supplies provided, in each instance, that the spreader for the supply is disposed at such an angle, relative to the adjacent spreader or spreaders as to avoid mechanical interference, while affording maximum utilization of the treating roller areasand while retaining all the advantageous aspects of the improved treating procedure of the invention.

In any of the forms of this invention, substantially improved treating results are realized by following the steps of spreading to width and uniformly conditioning the fabric, introducing the conditioned fabric into a combined extracting and processing nip, conveying the fabric through a treating solution in the absence of undesirable tensions and in control contact at all times with dimensionally stable surfaces, and thereafter passing the material through a combined processing and padding nip. The nip formed by the rollers 15, 16 significantly is referred to as a combined extracting and processing nip,

since the nip not only extracts water from and uniformly,

solution, and the nip meters the amount of solution car-.

ried out of the reservoir by the fabric, as well as effects the desired pressure penetration of the solution throughout the fibers of the material. The fabric treatment in accordance with the invention admits of substantially more precise operating control than has been obtainable heretofore, since significant variables have been eliminated by performing sequential extracting and processing steps at one nip, sequential processing and padding steps at a second nip, and maintaining control contact with the fabric at all times.

One of the significant features of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and improved extracting and padding apparatus, incorporating three rollers arranged in inverted triangular configuration and defining two spaced nips and a reservoir for treating solution. Not only is the new apparatus substantially simplified from a structural standpoint, but the various processing advantages discussed above may be realized through its use.

Another significant feature of the invention resides in the use of control rollers to maintain positive control contact between wet or dry fabrics and the surface of the bottom treating roller 16 and to thereby assure complete control over the dimensions of the fabric at all times. The highly advantageous result is that the fabric reliably emerges from the solution treating station at the same dimensions at which it entered. Moreover, the control rollers afford more reliably uniform impregnation of fabric, under all conditions of operation, by successively squeezing and releasing the fabric, alternately to expel air and solution and to draw solution into the fibers.

It should be understood, however, that the specific form of the invention herein illustrated and described is intended to be representative only, as certain changes may be made therein without departing from the clear teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for treating wet tubular knitted fabric which comprises (a) means for laterally distending the tubular ftbric to fiat form and predetermined uniform width,

(b) a first resilient treating roller positioned immediately adjacent the discharge end of said distending means for establishing full-fabric-width dimension control contact between said fabric and said first treating roller substantially immediately as the spread fabric leaves said spreading means,

() a second resilient treating roller positioned generally below and forward of said first treating roller and forming therewith a resilient extracting nip through which said fabric is directed,

((1) said second treating roller having an upper surface portion positioned for full-fabric-width dimension control contact with said fabric,

(e) a third resilient treating roller positioned generally above and forward of said second treating roller and forming therewith a resilient padding nip,

(f) means for driving said treating rollers in a manner to achieve substantially equal peripheral speeds, and

(g) sealing plates engaging end portions of said treating rollers whereby to form a reservoir for maintaining a continuous bath of treating solution extending from said extracting nip to said padding nip,

(h) one side of each of said nips being exposed directly to the treating solution bath,

(i) said upper surface portion of said second treating roller forming the bottom of said reservoir.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes (a) a plurality of control rollers retained in said reservoir,

(b) said control rollers being adapted to bear downward on fabric carried on the surface of said second roller to apply successive rolling pressures thereto and to maintain said fabric in full-fabric-width dimension control contact with said second treating roller.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, in which (a) the means for laterally distending the fabric comprises first and second spreading frames for laterally distending first and second webs of tubular knitted fabric,

(b) said spreading frames being positioned generally in side-by-side relation but being disposed in intersecting planes,

(c) said spreading frames having their respective discharge ends disposed immediately adjacent and in substantially tangential relation to said first treating roller, whereby the webs of tubular knitted fabric discharged from said spreading frames are brought directly into full-fabric-width dimension control contact with said first treating roller.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, in which (a) said spreading frames includes width adjustment means accommodating adjustment of said frames to a position in which two webs of tubular knitted fabric are discharged onto said first treating roller in closely adjacent relation, and

' (b) external edge drive means are provided for each of said spreading frames,

(c) the intersecting plane relationship of said spreader frames accommodating vertical overlapping of said external edge drive means.

5. Apparatus for treating tubular knitted fabric, which comprises (a) means for laterally distending the fabric to fiat form and predetermined uniform width,

(b) first and second resilient rollers forming a first resilient roller nip,

(c) said distending means being positioned to discharge the uniformly distended fabrics directly into full-fabric-width dimension control contact with one of said first and second rollers,

(d) a third resilient roller cooperating with said second roller to form a second resilient roller nip,

(e) said second roller being positioned below said first and third rollers and forming therewith a reservoir,

(f) said reservoir being adapted to retain a bath of treating solution extending continuously from said first to said second roller nip,

(g) one side of each of said nips being exposed directly to the treating solution bath,

(h) the upper surface of said second treating roller forming the bottom of said reservoir and providing a dimensionally stable surface for supporting said fabric in full-fabric-width dimension control contact,

(i) means for driving said resilient rollers in a manner to achieve substantially equal peripheral speeds, and

(j) means for steaming the tubular knitted fabric passing over the distending means.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, which includes (a) first doctor means engaging an exposed upper surface portion of the first resilient roller,

(b) second doctor means engaging exposed lower portions of said second resilient roller, and

(c) means for adjustably positioning said first doctor means in and out of operative contact with said first resilient roller.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, in which (a) the means for laterally distending the fabric comprises first and second spreading frames for laterally distending first and second webs of tubular knitted fabric,

(b) said spreading frames being positioned generally in side-by-side relation but being disposed in intersecting planes,

(c) said spreading frames having their respective discharge ends disposed immediately adjacent and in substantially tangential relation to said first resilient roller, whereby the webs of tubular knitted fabric 1 I discharged from said spreading frames are brought directly into full-fabric-width dimension controlicontact with said first resilient roller.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, which includes which comprises (a) laterally distending the wet fabric to flat form and predetermined uniform width,

(b) transferring the uniformly distended tubular knitted fabric substantially directly into full-fabricwidth dimension control contact with a synchronously moving dimensionally stable surface,

(c) subjecting the wet and distended fabric to a first resilient rolling pressure to reduce the liquid content to a first predetermined level,

((1) simultaneously releasing said first rolling pressure and immersing the fabric in a body of treating solution,

(e) conveying the fabric in flat formand substantially at its distended width through the body of treating solution while maintaining said fabric completely immersed in said treating solution and while maintaining one layer of said fabric in full-fabric-width dimension control contact with a synchronously moving dimensionally stable surface,

(f) simultaneously removing the fabric from said body of liquid treating solution and subjecting the fabric to a second resilient rolling pressure to reduce the liquid content to a second predetermined level,

I (g) said second predetermined level being greater than said first predetermined level, and

(h) releasing the fabric from said second rolling pressure,

(i) said fabric being maintained wholly immersed in said treating solution throughout the period from step (d) to step (f),

(j) said tubular knitted fabric'be'ing maintained continuously in full-fabric-width dimension control contact with synchronously moving dimensionally stable surface means during at least steps (b) through (h), inclusive,

12 10. The method of claim 9, in which (a) the tubular knitted fabric is subjected to a series of control rolling pressures while said fabric is carried through the bath of treating solution. 11. The method of treating tubular knitted fabric,

which comprises (a) laterally distending the fabric to flat form and predetermined uniform width,

(b) transferring the uniformly distended tubular knitted fabric substantially directly into full-fabricwidth dimension control contact with a synchronously moving dimensionally stable surface,

(c) subjecting the fabric to a first resilient rolling pressure,

(d) simultaneously releasing said first rolling pressure and immersing the fabric in a body of treating solution,

(e) conveying the fabric in flat form and substantially at its distended width through said body of treating solution,

(f) thereafter simultaneaously removing the fabric from the body of treating solution and subjecting (a). the tubular knitted fabric is subjected to a series 'of control rolling pressures while said fabric is carried through the bath of treating solution.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,905,916 4/33' Leguillon 117-7 2,511,625 6/50 Dungler 118-419 XR 2,577,013 12/51 Hyde l1834 2,603,077 7/52 Dungler 118,405 XR 2,826,167 3/58 Cohn et a1. 11834 2,880,114 3/59 Cohn et al 117 7 XR 2,963,893 12/60 Kusters 6843 XR 3,057,282 10/62 Luboshez 118405 XR RICHARD D. NEVIUS, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM D. MARTIN, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 207 ,616 September 21, 1965 Samuel Cohn et al It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 29, for "effect" read effort line 56, after "treating" insert solution so that, as the fabric emerges from the extracting column 2, line 41, for "threatment" read treatment line 45, for "handle" read handled column 3, lines 17 and 18, for "invvention" read invention column 5, line 37, for "surfaces" read surface column 8 line 8 for "string" read strings column 9, line 41, for "ftbric" read fabric column 10, line 19, for "includes" read include line 36, for "fabrics" read fabric column 11, line 11, before "maintain" insert to line 50 for "inclusive," read inclusive. column 12, line 21, for "simultaneaously" read simultaneously Signed and sealed this 26th day of April 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

9. THE METHOD OF TREATING WET TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC, WHICH COMPRISES (A) LATERALLY DISTENDING THE WET FABRIC TO FLAT FORM AND PREDETERMINED UNIFORM WIDTH, (B) TRANSFERRING THE UNIFORMLY DISTENDED TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC SUBSTANTIALLY DIRECTLY INTO FULL-FABRICWIDTH DIMENSION CONTROL CONTACT WITH A SYNCHRONOUSLY MOVING DIMENSIONALLY STABLE SURFACE, (C) SUBJECTING THE WET AND DISTENDED FABRIC TO A FIRST RESILIENT ROLLING PRESSURE TO REDUCE THE LIQUID CONTENT TO A FIRST PREDETERMINED LEVEL, (D) SIMULTANEOUSLY RELEASING SAID FIRST ROLLING PRESSURE AND IMMERSING THE FABRIC IN A BODY OF TREATING SOLUTION, (E) CONVEYING THE FABRIC IN FLAT FORM AND SUBSTANTIALLY AT ITS DISTENDED WIDTH THROUGH THE BODY OF TREATING SOLUTION WHILE MAINTAINING SAID FABRIC COMPLETELY IMMERSED IN SAID TREATING SOLUTION AND WHILE MAINTAINING ONE LAYER OF SAID FABRIC IN FULL-FABRIC-WIDTH DIMENSION CONTROL CONTACT WITH A SYNCHRONOUSLY MOVING DIMENSIONALLY STABLE SURFACE, (F) SIMULTANEOUSLY REMOVING THE FABRIC FROM SAID BODY OF LIQUID TREATING SOLUTION AND SUBJECTING THE FABRIC TO A SECOND RESILIENT ROLLING PRESSURE TO REDUCE THE LIQUID CONTENT TO A SECOND PREDETERMINED LEVEL, (G) SAID SECOND PREDETERMINED LEVEL BEING GREATER THAN SAID FIRST PREDETERMINED LEVEL, AND (H) RELEASING THE FABRIC FROM SAID SECOND ROLLING PRESSURE, (I) SAID FABRIC BEING MAINTAINED WHOLLY IMMERSED IN SAID TREATING SOLUTION THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD FROM STEP (D) TO STEP (F), (J) SAID TUBULAR KNITTED FABRIC BEING MAINTAINED CONTINUOUSLY IN FULL-FABRIC-WIDTH DIMENSION CONTROL CONTACT WITH SYNCHRONOUSLY MOVING DIMENSIONALLY STABLE SURFACE MEANS DURING AT LEAST STEPS (B) THROUGH (H), INCLUSIVE. 